702 Music withNonn Botha

According to the Business Day, not only are taxpayers footing the bill for the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, but taxpayers are also paying legal fees for some implicated officials and witnesses including former president Jacob Zuma.

Specialist reporter and journalist at Tiso Blackstar Karyn Maughan says the Presidency has confirmed that it is funding Zuma's legal fees. He is defending himself against any implication in state capture, she says.

[It is] also paying the fees of Lakela Kaunda, his former PA, but it is only really in Zuma's case that we see an assurance that should he be found to have acted outside the course and scope of his duties, he will be expected to pay back that money.

— Karyn Maughan, Specialist reporter and journalist - Tiso Blackstar

But in all the other cases, which include individuals like Shaun Abrahams, Lynne Brown and Mildred Oliphant, there is no written guarantee according to the state attorney that they will pay back the money if similar findings are made against them.

— Karyn Maughan, Specialist reporter and journalist - Tiso Blackstar

This is a profound indication of a certain degree of policy incoherence from the state in terms of who qualifies for that kind of money and what kind of action will be taken if they indeed found to have acted outside of their duties.